I saw the movie Ragtime for a couple of weeks, and I really loved it.
I'm a huge fan of Milos Forman and I think this movie has very high class...
One character I loved the most was "the younger brother" played by the one and only Brad Dourif. Anyone know why he hasn't got a name, the younger brother I mean...Anyone who also thought that he was grat in that movie?
"Live long and prosper"
In case you didn't notice, nobody in the family had a name. I suppose that this was meant to show them as an average family of everymen and women. I thought Brad Dourif's performance was great, but then again, I thought everybody's performance in this movie was great! From Howard E. Rollins to Donald O'Conner, this movie has great actors displaying some of the best of their talents.
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Well, the son had a name, but so did the Russian immigrant's little daugher. Nobody else did; even he was referred to as "Father" in Russian.
The exceptions being the historical figures.
I don't have this film yet, but he produces a business card and introduces himself when he goes to meet Coalhouse's gang-- does he give his name?
If the name is not revealed then, it was probably never meant to be.
E.L. Doctorow never gave him, Mother or Father a name. Just the little boy, Edgar.
"God save my little broken body."-Rizzo the Rat
"We are the music while the music lasts"--TS Eliot
Doctorow intended to connect the eastern european family to the main family
Father=Tateh ("father" in yiddish i believe)
Mother=Mameh ("mother")
Little Boy (i don't remember him being called Edgar)=little girl
Mother's Younger Brother=????????
this also illustrates MYB's individuality. there are few like him, hard to compare.
It all ties into a Sigmund Freud (sp?) theory about subconscious.
Mother's Younger Brother is the idealistic male wandering through life with no direction. It is only after he joins Coalhouse's gang that he feels he has obtained a sense of purpose in his life. He is also Heterophobic: afraid of the opposite sex, for fear of reprisal, laughter, shunning or what have you, but somehow inexplicably drawn to them, worshipping them as sexual objects and not true women. He places false importance on his job in a fireworks factory, thereby making himself appear important in the eyes of others, but really just fooling no one but himself.
In all reality, none of these people have names because they represent you and me in the whole scheme of things.
Thanks for all the great answers! I've now bought the book, and will enjoy the reading so much, ‘cause the story and everything about it is really great.
oh, and wvanderburg, you put your answer so very beautiful and thoughtful, I just had to say that.. it really capture the story and Mr Dourifs character.
"Live long and prosper"
I've loved Dourif's work ever since I saw him in Wise blood. He's amazing and I wish his career had gone full force ahead like many of his contemporaries. But I'm glad he's still working!
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Saw this today for the first time (shame on me!).
Loved the line (addressed to Brad Dourif): "It's your brother-in-law". I had an lol moment right there.